Question 1

What is image dithering?

Accepted Answer

Image dithering is a technique that creates the illusion of color depth in images with limited color palettes. By strategically distributing pixels, dithering simulates colors that aren't in the palette, creating smooth gradients even with severe color restrictions.

Question 2

Is Turbo Dither really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Turbo Dither is completely free with no watermarks, no account required, no file size limits, and no hidden costs. All processing happens in your browser, and your images never leave your device.

Question 3

Which dithering algorithm should I use?

Accepted Answer

Floyd-Steinberg is best for general-purpose photos and natural images. Atkinson creates high-contrast, sharp images perfect for retro Mac aesthetics. Ordered (Bayer) produces classic crosshatch patterns for vintage looks. Jarvis-Judice-Ninke offers the smoothest gradients with minimal artifacts.

Question 4

Can I create halftone effects?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Use the "Ordered (Bayer)" algorithm and adjust the "Dither Scale" to create stylish halftone patterns. You can also use the Pattern Editor to design your own custom halftone matrices for unique effects.

Question 5

Can I manually edit the dithered image?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Use the Paint Mode to draw pixel-perfect details directly onto your dithered image. You can also use the Fill Selection Tool to apply patterns or solid colors to specific areas, giving you complete creative control over the final result.

Question 6

Can i add effects to my dithered images?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Turbo Dither offers built-in effects like CRT Effects, which adds scanlines, vignette, and flicker for a retro monitor look. You can also enable Glitch Effects to introduce digital distortion and color shifting, perfect for a cyberpunk aesthetic.

Question 7

Do my images get uploaded to a server?

Accepted Answer

No. All image processing happens entirely in your browser using Web Workers. Your images never leave your device, ensuring complete privacy and security. We don't store, track, or have access to any of your images.

Question 8

What image formats are supported?

Accepted Answer

You can upload any common image format (JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF). The dithered image is exported as a PNG file to preserve pixel-perfect quality without compression artifacts.

Question 9

Can I dither animated GIFs?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Turbo Dither supports animated GIFs. Each frame is dithered individually while preserving the original animation. Note that processing time may be longer for GIFs with many frames.

Question 10

Can I use dithered images commercially?

Accepted Answer

Yes! There are no watermarks or usage restrictions on images you process with Turbo Dither. You own your images and can use them for any purpose, including commercial projects.

Question 11

Can I use my own colors for dithering?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Select "Custom" from the palette dropdown menu. This opens a color editor where you can add, remove, and modify specific colors to create a unique palette for your image processing.

Question 12

What are the retro color palettes?

Accepted Answer

We offer historically accurate palettes from classic systems: CGA 4-color, Game Boy, ZX Spectrum, NES, Commodore 64, Apple II, Pico-8, and various grayscale options. Each palette recreates authentic retro aesthetics from vintage computers and gaming consoles.

Question 13

Why is my processed image slow?

Accepted Answer

Large images (over 2000x2000 pixels) may take longer to process. The dithering algorithms are computationally intensive. We use Web Workers to keep your browser responsive, but very large images naturally require more processing time. Try reducing the image size first if speed is critical.

Question 14

How do I preserve transparency when dithering?

Accepted Answer

Transparency is preserved when exporting as PNG. Fully transparent pixels remain transparent through the dithering process. For animated GIFs, transparent frames are preserved where the GIF format supports it, but results can vary depending on frame composition and the palette used.

Question 15

Which browsers are supported?

Accepted Answer

Turbo Dither runs in modern browsers that support Web Workers and recent JavaScript features — current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. For the best performance, use the latest stable browser release on desktop or mobile.

Question 16

Can I process very large images or run batch jobs?

Accepted Answer

You can process large images, subject to your device memory and browser limits. Very large images will take longer and may hit memory constraints. There's no built-in batch uploader in the UI yet, but it will be added in a future update.

Question 17

How can I report a bug or contribute?

Accepted Answer

We welcome issues and contributions. With a quick DM on Twitter (@kosa12), you can report bugs or suggest features.

Question 18

What export formats are available for animated outputs?

Accepted Answer

Animated GIFs are supported and processed frame-by-frame. For a static result, export as PNG to preserve pixel-perfect quality. If you need other formats or advanced export options, consider downloading the processed frames and using an external tool to convert them.

Question 19

How does the secret message (steganography) work?

Accepted Answer

Turbo Dither uses LSB (Least Significant Bit) steganography. It hides your message by slightly modifying the color values of pixels in a way that is invisible to the human eye. To ensure the message is preserved, you must download your image as a PNG and avoid applying destructive effects like CRT or Glitch RGB after encoding.

Question 20

Does the live camera mode record anything?

Accepted Answer

No. The live camera dithering happens entirely in your browser using your local CPU and GPU. We do not record, store, or transmit any video or audio data from your camera. Everything stays on your device.

Question 21

How does the Audio Reactive feature work and is it private?

Accepted Answer

The Audio Reactive feature uses the Web Audio API to analyze sound frequencies entirely within your browser to modulate dithering effects in real-time. Just like our image processing, your audio files are never uploaded to our servers, and any video recordings you create are generated locally on your device.

Live Camera Dither - Real-time Retro Filters & Pixel Art